simon



A. SIMON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION. men APR. 19. 1911.

' Patented 0( r.14,1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

oo 00 co oo o A. SIMON.-

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. 1911..

1,318,508. Patented 01-1. 14,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I w z r; Z

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR SIMON, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAHMEB' MFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC swI'roH.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, ARTHUR SIMON, a

citizen of the United States, residing. at

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is 'a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in electric switches. My invention relates. particularly to switches to be immersed in oil, but is not limited to this particular class of switches.

In oil immersed switches it is very desirable to secure a horizontal break of the circuit controlled thereby, that is to say it is desirable to have the switch so designed that the are drawn between its contacts will be disposed in a substantial horizontal plane. The desirability of this form of break. is due to the fact that it greatly facilitates and expedites the ru ture or expenditure of the arcsproduced. l vhere a vertical break is provided, that is where the arc is drawn vertically. the oil in which the switch is immersed forms a pocket which so confines the arc as to prolong the duration of its existence. On the other hand Where the arc is drawn horizontally it has a tendency to bow or stretch upwardly and thereby quickly disrupt itself meeting with but comparatively small resistance from the oil.

It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a switch which will give'this form.

of break, and to so construct the same as to enable it to be operated by a longitudinally movable member preferably a vertically movable member in order that said member may be extended through the top of the oil casing. w p

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will be hereinafter clearly and fully set forth. v p p In order to more fully and clearly set forth the nature and characteristicvfeatures of. my invention I shall describe the embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanyi-ng drawing. It should be understood that my invention is notlimited to the specific embodiment thereof which I have illustrated Specification of Letters Patent.

accompanying drawings should considered as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of my invention.

Patented Oct. 14,1919. 1- Application filed April 19, 1911. Serial No. 622,099.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 Fig. 1.

- Figs. 3 and 4.- 1e lre enlarged detailviews,

the former partia y in section, of a; portion of the switch and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 Fig. 3. a

The various parts of the structure illustrated are supported by a suitable frame or the corners thereof are four blocks 3, preferably formed integrally therewith. Two of the blocks-3 are clearly illustrated in Fig.

2. Suitably secured to the blocks 3 on opposite sides ofthe member -1 are inverted U shaped brackets, one of which is shown in dotted lines in FigQl' These brackets are preferably formed of cast iron to give the same the required strength and rigidity. Each bracket is provided at its lower end with cross members 5 and 5, preferably comprising wooden bars secured to said brackets by suitable means such as bolts 6.

The wooden cross members 5 form supports for the switch members which I shall now describe.

The switch illustrated is of the tripple pole type in which" each line controlled thereby is broken at two points. Accordingly there are provided six switches constituting three pairs one pair foreach line. The switches of each air are 1 mounted directly opposite one anot er. The switches are all of the same construction so that it will suffice to describe only one of the same.

' As will be seen from Fig. 2 each of the switches comprises essentially a pivoted rigid arm 7 carrying a main contact8. and

an arcing'contact 9, said contacts to engage a relatively stationary laminated main con-.

tact brush 10, and'a' relatively stationary rarcing contact 11 respectively. The contact arm 7 is pivoted to move in a vertical plane and the contacts are so arranged that upon the Contact arm leaving the relatively sta tionary contacts, the are produced thereby will be drawn horizontally with the advantageous results above pointed out.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, I will give a more detailed description of the switches. The arm 7 is pivoted at 12 to a bracket 13 which is secured to the wooden cross bar by bolts 14. The bracket 13 is provided at its bottom with a lug 15 carrying a binding post 16 to which is adapted to be connected one of the circuit leads. Also connected to the binding post 16 is a short lead 18 secured by means of a screw 19 to the .arm 7. The. main contact 8 on the arm 7 preferably comprises a flat plate secured to said arm by a bolt or bolts 20. The stationary contacts of the switch are mounted upon the wooden cross member 5. Secured on the top of this cross member preferably by bolts 21 is an angle plate 22 having on its forward extremity a suitable seat for the main laminated brush 10 which is secured thereto by a bolt 23. Also at its forward end the angle plate 22 is provided with a suitable support for the pivoted arm 24 carrying the arcing contact 11. The upright portion of the angle plate carries a bolt 25 which extends through the arm 24 and has its head within a recess in said arm. Surrounding the bolt 25 and interposed between the angle plate 22 and the arm 24 is a helical spring 26 which tends to force the arm 24 toward the contact arm 7. Both the arm'24 and the main contact brush 10 are electrically connected to the an le plate 22 which at its upper end is provifed with a suitable binding post 27 for line connection.

The arcing contacts 9 and 11 preferably comprise heavy copper shoes with enlarged curved surfaces which tend to guide the arc drawn between the same in an upward direction at the same time stretching and cooling the same. Also they prevent the accumulation of oil between the same.

" The operation of the switch is apparent from Figs. 3 and 4 in which it will be seen that due to the action of the spring 26 the arcing contacts will be the first to engage when the switch is closed and the last to disengage when the switch is opened. After the auxiliary contacts have been brought into engagement continued movement of the arm 7 causes the main contact plate carried thereby to engage the main contact brush 10, the arcing contact arm 24 in the meantime being forced rearwardly against the spring 26.

As above stated all of the switches are of the same construction. In a multiple switch device of this character it is desirable to have all of the switches actuated simultaneously. I have provided means for accomplishing this operation of the switches which may be readily adapted to either manual or power operation. For the purpose of this application I have shown the same adapted for power operation. I shall now describe the operating means illustrated.

For each pair of switches I have provided a vertically movable rod 30 extend'ng down through the top of the casing td-a point midway between the switches. All three of these rods are shown in Fig. 1, and one of the same is illustrated in Fig. 2. Each of the rods 30 is provided at its lower extremity with a cross member 31, the opposite ends of which are operatively connected to the two switches to be actuated thereby in the following manner. The connections for both switches being identical I shall only describe one of the same. These connections are best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. They onsist of a link 33 pivoted at one end to the upper extremity of the bracket 13 and at its opposite end to the cross member 31 of the rod 30. The pivot pin 34 which connects the link 33 to the cross member 31 preferably works in slots 35 provided in said cross member whereby the rod 30 will be relieved of any lateral strain to which it would otherwise be subjected upon turning the link 33 about the pivot at the opposite end thereof. The link 33 is connected to the contact arm 7 by an intermediate link 36 pivoted at one end on a pin 37. carried by said link and on its opposite end on a,

pin 38 carried by a lug 39 on the arm 7. In practice in order to secure compactness and at/ the same time strength and rigidity I prefer to bifurcate the cross member 31 and the links 33 and 36, placing one inside of the other.

- With the connections just described it will be seen that when the rod 30 and cross member 31 are raised the outer end of the link 33 will be raised and will through the intermediate link 36. force the arm 7 inwardly into engagement with its stationary contacts in the manner previously described. On the other hand when the rod 30 descends it moves the link 33 in the opposite direction thereby releasing the contact arm 7. The parts of the structure being of considerable weight and returning to normal position by gravity I preferably provide in the contact arm 7 a spring buffer 40 adapted to be engaged by a lug 41 on the link 36 to prevent an undue shock to the parts. As previously-set forth the two switches of each set are connected in a similar manner to the same operating rod, and accordingly operate simultaneously.

Each of the operating rods 30 is provided at its upper end with a cap 43 all of which caps are connected preferably by means of pins 44 to a cross member 45. The cross member 45 may be actuated to simultaneously move all of the rods either manually or by power. As illustrated I have shown this cross member operated by a'solenoid S. The solenoid is mounted in a suitable frame 47 havingstandards48 bolted to the supporting member 1.. This solenoid has two coils arranged side by side and provided with a Ushaped plunger 49 to which the cross member 45 is secured. The cross member 45. is provided with an upwardly projecting rod 50 which extends through the U- shaped plunger 49 and also through the'bottom of the frame 47. This rod is rigidly secured to the plunger 49 as by a pin. 51 and I is provided at its upper end with adjustable nuts 52. Due to the fact thatthe member 45 is rigidly connected to the plunger 49 it will be observed that when the solenoid is energized the cross member 45 will move U with the plunger 49 raising all of the rods 0 and thereby simultaneously actuating all of the switches and that upon deenergiza tion of the solenoid the plunger 49 and cross member will drop back to initial position. 'fiThe nuts 52 onthe rod by engagement with the magnet frame will limit the downward movement of the plunger and cross member 45, and consequently the degree of opening of the switches. Obviously by ad- .justment of the nuts-52 the range of move- .ment of the parts may be varied as desired. The rod 50 also'serves to operate auxiliary switches 53- which maybe utilized for any 7 a desired purpose.

For inclosing the switches Ihave shown a tanker receptacle 54 adapted to contain oil for immersion of the switches. This tank is inthe form of 'a box and provided on apps;-

.-site sides with pivoted bolts 55 upon which are mounted wing nuts 56 adapted to engage 21 with lugs or cars 57 on the member 1 to support said tank'in position. This form of retaining means allows the tank 54 to be.

lowered to give access to the switch mechanism without in any wise disturbing the same. switches {might be provided with a separate oil tank if desired.

In order to facilitate raising the oil receptacle 54, I preferably provide the same with counter-weights 0n onefiend of chains which pass over the sprocket pulleys and. are fixed to the cover frame 1, as shown in Fig. 1.

\ IVhat I claim as new'and desire to se-- -.cure by Letters Patent is as follows p 1. An oil immersed switch comprising, if 1 tcombination, a casing, a switch supportsua pendedtherein from the casing cover, a stationary contact carried by said support, a

vertically disposed switch arm. pivoted tosaid support and having at its upper end a cooperating contact, a reclproca'ble operat ing rod extending through the casing cover,- an operative connection between said rod and said switch arm, and electromagnetic means carried by the casing cover but above Ofcourse in practice each pair of the same for controlling movement of said rod.

2. In combination, an oil receptacle, a statact carried thereby, both of said contactshaving vertically disposed active faces at right angles to the plane in which said arm moves, a stationary laminated brush mounted on said stationary member to be engaged by said'main contact and a contact pivoted to said stationary member to be engaged by said arcing contact.-

3. In combination, an oil receptacle, a stationary member suspended therein, a vertically disposed arm pivoted to said stationary member, a main contact and an arcingcontact carried thereby, both of said contacts having vertically disposed active faces at right angles to the plane in which said arm moves, a stationary laminated brush mounted onsaid stationary member to be engaged by said main contact and a contact pivoted to said stationary member to be engaged by said arcing contact, said arcing contacts being arranged above said main contacts and having engaging surfaces diverging from the points of contact.

4. In combination, an oil receptacle, a bracket suspended therein, a vertically disposed and upwardly projecting switch mounted. upon said bracket and provided at its upper extremity with abutment. arcing contacts having vertically disposed cooperating faces and means operable from the outside of said receptacle to actuate said switch to movesaid contacts into and out of engagement.

5. In combination, an oil receptacle, a bracket suspended therein, a vertically disposed and upwardly projecting switch mounted upon said bracket and having at its upper end vertically disposed cooperating contacts and. a reciprocating member projecting downwardly through the top of said receptacle and connected to said switch to operate the same.

6. In combination, an oil receptacle, a

ii"? upper end vertically disposed cooperate lug contacts and a reciprocating member projecting downwardly through the top of said receptacle and an operative connectlon between said reciprocating member and said switch comprising a toggle.

7. In combination, an .oil receptacle, brackets suspended therein, vertically disposed and upwardly projecting switches mounted upon said brackets in the same vertical plane, each of said switches having at its upper end vertically disposed coiiperating contacts and a reciprocating memher projecting into said receptacle between said switches, and operatively connected to said switches to simultaneously operate the same.

8; In combination, a horizontal support, an oil containing receptacle suspended from said support, a pair of brackets depending from said support and extending into said receptacle, a pair of vertically disposed and upwardly projecting switches mounted upon said brackets and each provided at its upper end with vertically disposed cooperating contacts and a reciprocating member projecting into said receptacle through said support and toggle operating connections between said member and said switches.

In witness whereof I have hereunto Sllll scribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

' ARTHUR SIMON.

lVitnesses:

FRANK H. HUBBARD, GEORGE HAYNES. 

